Tanishq Kumar, USA, 18

Project: CareerFear

Basic Human Needs: Education

As someone who moved several times growing up, Tanishq noticed stark differences among the schools he attended around the world. While many high schools had robust higher education departments, others could not afford to give their students access to career guidance, opportunities and resources. To address this inequality, Tanishq created a website featuring interviews with various professionals, from surgeons to lawyers to writers, asking them questions about their fields in order to educate students on a range of career paths. The website quickly became a staple online resource for thousands of students in the Middle East, and gradually became CareerFear – an international nonprofit seeking to level the educational playing field by empowering every student to take control of their future through information. They have worked directly with more than 6,000 students through events and workshops, and reached 40,000 students globally with their career resources. By partnering with universities worldwide, they also offer students work experience and internship opportunities that are normally inaccessible. Tanishq leads a team of over 120 volunteers in 14 countries. Currently focused on scaling their internship program, CareerFear is expanding their focus to the undergraduate level. Tanishq believes they will impact an additional 10,000 students in 2019, and have the potential to become an established and respected name in the social mobility space.